Welcome to the first meeting of the Wicked(ly awesome!) Writers Society!
But what is the Wicked(ly awesome!) Writers Society? This is the place where we celebrate writers that are not only awesome at word-fu, but are also wonderful contributors to the writing community itself. A new writer shall be posted on the third Monday of each month. A bonus interview question will be posted in the monthly newsletter. If you have anyone you would like to nominate, please feel free to send me their name via the contact page. Please put WWS Nominee in the subject line. Also, you will now be able to find a list of the WWS members under the Hall of Fame tab in the menu.
So without further ado, I present to you Angela Ackerman.
Angela keeps house over at The Bookshelf Muse. Not only is she a great person with a wonderful sense of humor, but she has some awesome thesauri. Having trouble conveying an emotion, getting a description to come out right, describing a setting, or adding layers through symbolism? Then The Bookshelf Muse is a great place to stop by. Not only does Angela post a very detailed list, but she also shows examples of what works and what doesn’t and why.
And now, onto the interview:
Something that is absolutely wicked(ly awesome!) about you is your blog–in particular your thesauruses. (thesauri?) What inspired you to write them and how do you come up with the entries?
I’m a member (and moderator) of the Online Critique Site, The Critique Circle and have established some great relationships with other writers. We were lounging around virtually one day complaining about how hard it was to show our characters’ emotions without either falling on a cliché or having to explain what they were feeling. A few of us started brainstorming ways to show cardinal emotions through character action at CC but it petered out.
I did a ton of searching online, hoping to discover a resource for showing emotion but found nothing. Finally a fellow writer, Becca Puglisi, and I decided to create The Bookshelf Muse and the Emotion Thesaurus. Soon we realized there were many types of descriptive tools we could build for writers using the same format. Two years later I run the blog on my own and have an Emotion Thesaurus, a Setting Thesaurus, a Color, Textures and Shapes Thesaurus and a Symbolism Thesaurus (and more will come—stay tuned!) These descriptive collections have been promoted by agents, editors and authors in work shops and received a mention in the UK magazine, Writer’s News.
What are some of your writing rituals? And if you don’t have any, feel free to be creative. 
When drafting, I always light a scented candle and have a cup of coffee at hand. I also have my kids’ pictures by the monitor to remind me why I do this. When revising, I often listen to Riot by Three Days Grace first to get me pumped up (because revisions sooo don’t get me excited, lol).
What is your favorite device you use to torture your characters? Any secrets you have?
Well, I’ll never turn away the opportunity to throw a zombie in their path, but mostly I would say I like to use their own shortcomings and fears against them. I’m not above using loved ones to make them rise to the challenge or face their shadows, and often betrayal—deep, dark and biting—becomes a theme in my novels.
Do you write by computer or by hand? Have you always written this way? If not, how has the switching affected your writing process? Also, are you an outliner, a panster, or something in between?
GAH! *brain twitches at the flurry of questions* Drafting & revising by computer, definitely (sometimes I’ll print out and hand edit a copy). I used to write short stories by hand back in the day, sitting out in front of my house so I could keep an eye on the minions –er, kids playing. The transition to computer now has been natural.
My brainstorming is still done by hand though, which leads to the next answer—I’m an outliner/panster hybrid. Basically I start with a flash, which can be anything from a random image I see in the ‘ol brain, to a sound, to a question that forms in my thoughts. I will know immediately it means something more than it appears—it’s a symbol of a storyline to come. From there I sit down with a notebook and start stream-writing everything that comes to mind, and slowly characters and a situation forms. I do all my world building and ask myself questions in the notebook. I will know how the story will begin, how it will end and have a few key scenes solid in my mind. But there will always come a point in time when I know it’s time to close the notebook and move to the computer. The feeling is like…hmm…a knowing that if I puzzle out any more details, writing the book will no longer be necessary. If I plan too much, it ruins the novel for me, because I will know too many of its secrets. For me writing is all about the journey and mystery of what will happen between the first word and the last.
How would you describe the concept of a polka dot to someone who cannot see?
Wow, tough one. I think I would tell them it is shaped like the feeling you get when you press your fingertip against a hard surface. Go on, try it and tell me if it makes the translation!
Thanks for everything you do, Angela!
What about you? Have you checked out the awesomeness that is The Bookshelf Muse?
ETA: Angela has graciously agreed to answer any questions you have for her, so feel free to leave them in the comments below. 
Sunday, March 14th, 2010, 4:08 pm | 
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March 15, 2010 at 12:08 am
This sounds awesome! I’m looking for to learning more about Angela. Thanks for letting me in on this, Danyelle.
March 15, 2010 at 5:17 am
Excellent interview. I love, love, LOVE The Bookshelf Muse.
March 15, 2010 at 5:33 am
Yay Angela!! You are definitely one Wicked(ly Awesome) Writer so congrats!! And mega thanks to Danyelle for starting the coolest writer’s society evah!
March 15, 2010 at 6:10 am
Great interview, Angela! You are definitely wicked awesome!
Happy zombie hunting!
(I also like Three Days Grace!!!)
March 15, 2010 at 8:30 am
Great interview! Glad to know more about you, Angela! Love your blog.
And Danyelle, this is such a fabulous idea! You are awesome!
March 15, 2010 at 8:50 am
What a great interview, Angela. Love your last answer. It totally works. Keep being awesome!
March 15, 2010 at 9:40 am
Oh my goodness, yours is an amazing site indeed, although I do confess to feeling a teensie bit out of my depth here. I shall tip-toe over to view Angela’s page pronto – and thank you for giving a great platform for writers to meet and to pass on what they find works best for them!
March 15, 2010 at 9:40 am
I loved getting to know you better, Angela! I especially love your drafting rituals. You know you’re one of my all-time favorite, wickedly awesome writers!
March 15, 2010 at 10:13 am
Huge thanks to Danyelle for featuring me here. It’s an absolute honor. And thanks to everyone for the kind words! You guys are all Wickedly Awesome!!
March 15, 2010 at 10:14 am
Oooh, great choice! Angela is amazing. Love the interview.
March 15, 2010 at 10:26 am
The thesaurus sounds awesome! I just went over there and checked it her blog. Thanks to you both!
March 15, 2010 at 11:06 am
Let me know when you finally get your World Domination Team together. I’d like to join — that’s assuming I like the uniform.
March 15, 2010 at 11:20 am
I like your tactile depiction of a polka dot. I would never have thought of that!
March 15, 2010 at 11:33 am
How great to learn more about the person behind the wickedly awesome bookshelf muse! Thank you.
March 15, 2010 at 11:59 am
Haha, these assigned avatars crack me up. I have a freaking monocle! Love it! Thanks everyone for commenting and visiting!
March 15, 2010 at 1:43 pm
Wonderful choice and fun interview–I adore Angela’s blog.
March 15, 2010 at 2:00 pm
I think it’s brilliant you use your characters shortcomings and fears against them. That makes for great reading. Wicked fun interview!
March 15, 2010 at 2:37 pm
What a great interview! Thanks Danyelle ~ those were some wicked questions and Angela’s questions were awesome
March 15, 2010 at 3:34 pm
Great interview. I love the picture of the kids by the computer, though it made me feel a little mean. I make a point of writing in a kid-free zone so I can remind myself that my writing is all about me. LOL!
March 15, 2010 at 4:26 pm
The Bookshelf Muse is one of my fav blogs. I visit it several times a day to figure out how to describe my characters’ emotions. It’s a life saver, especially when I discovered how many times in my ms I mentioned the heart and lungs. For having a background in the human body, you’d have thought I would have remembered the other organs.
March 15, 2010 at 4:35 pm
So…since you’ve offered your brain to be picked…>:)
What is your favorite kind of nut, and why?
Also, how do you feel about this whole writing thing? What helps get you through the hard times?
And, last but not least, why zombies? :p
March 15, 2010 at 4:58 pm
Interesting rituals for when you sit down to revise.
March 15, 2010 at 5:32 pm
GREAT interview ladies!!! Can’t wait to see who else is inducted into the society! Danyelle has good taste in writerly friends!
March 15, 2010 at 8:11 pm
What a great idea and a great interview. I just came from The Bookshelf Muse and didn’t know what I was missing all this time until now. Thanks for sharing, ladies!
March 17, 2010 at 6:31 am
I have never heard of an emotion thesaurus, but wow, what a great idea! Can’t wait to check it out! (By the way, I’m glad I’m not the only one less than excited about revisions!)
Danyelle, I have an award for you on my blog 3/17/2010!
March 17, 2010 at 10:49 am
What is your favorite kind of nut, and why?
Pecans. I love their taste and texture and they are even better roasted or spiced. And Candied. YUM.
Also, how do you feel about this whole writing thing?
I have always loved books as a medium for communication. There’s something about the way they can reach through to anyone, no matter who they are or what they have, and transport them to somewhere else that really speaks to me. Books can befriend, they can relay understanding and empathy. Books can calm a troubled soul or entertain. To me, reaching a level where my writing is desired by others is one of the highest forms of honor. Publication is a big thing to go after, but I dream big and live without regrets.
What helps get you through the hard times?
I’ve been at this a long time and there have been plenty of hard moments. Some are worse than others, for sure. I guess what I try to do is acknowledge it’s okay to feel bad about certain things. I don’t have to always be a pillar of optimism and it’s okay to feel that disappointment. I take time to work through the bad stuff, and then I look at whatever it is that has upset me and ask, “What can I learn about this?”
Removing emotion from the equation is key in dealing with rejection and doubt. It doesn’t happen overnight though and is something we really have to work at. But by changing how I look at whatever happened to trigger the upset (say a tough rejection) I can see what else the rejection signifies. First, feedback is helpful and this editor gave me a few moments to tell me what didn’t work for them. That’s rejection gold. Second, my agent is still behind me, still believes in the product and that it’s only a matter of finding the perfect fit. Third, a rejection means I’m submitting. I’m in the game, I’m writing, I’m learning. Everything I am doing gets me closer to my goal.
Soon the sting of the rejection is gone, and it’s merely one more stepping stone between me and success. Remember, everything that happens to us, good or bad, is an opportunity to learn.
And, last but not least, why zombies? :p
FINALLY we get to what’s important! Why zombies? Because they are the underdogs. They aren’t powerful like Vampires, they aren’t graceful and beautiful like Elves. They don’t have special powers, intelligence, and they can’t live forever.
Zombies are clumsy and mindless and lets face it, the cards are stacked against them. All they want is a good brain to chew. This need of theirs is so strong, they are driven to fulfill it, no matter what the odds or what barriers and weaponry stand in their way.
Maybe zombies remind me of being a writer at times? That or they don’t expect pay or benefits, making them the perfect tool to secure world domination.
But then I’m Canadian, and everyone knows that Canadians are nice and friendly and would never, ever thing of taking over the world. Right?